Apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance.



110.854,052. 1 PATENTEDMAY 21, 19.07.v

W. MOLLIER.

APPARATUS POR CONVEYING LOADS BBTWEEN'POINTS 0F V-ARYING DISTANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1906.

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N0. 854,052. EATENTED MAY 21. 1907.

Y W.VM0LLIEE. I APPARATUS EOE CONVEYING LEADS BETWEEN POINTS 0E VAEYING E DISTANCE.

APPLTGATION'PILED 21.29, 190e.

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VVALTI-IER MOLLIER, OF HAMBURG,

GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TG SIEMENS- SCHUCKERT WERKE GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUN G,

OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING LOADS BETWEEN POINTS 0F VAHYING DISTANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 190'?.

Application liled January 29,1906. Serial No. 298,567.

To all whom it vata/y concern.'

Be it known that I, lWaninnn MOLLIER, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Hamburg, Alte Rabenstrasse 34, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Conveying Loads Between Points of Varying Distance, and in order that those skilled in the art may understand, make, and use' my invention I give the following specification.

My invention relates to rope ways for conveying loads by means of endless ropes, between two points whose distance from one another constantly varies, such as rope ways between ships at sea, or between the'shore and a ship anchored in the neighborhood, or

lines for distributing and shooting goods over In such cases the varying dis tance ot the ends of the line from each other will cause the rope to be slackened and tightened alternately so that a special means of regulating the tension in the rope is necessary. According to this invention the winding machine is so constructed that a uniform tension is maintained in the rope even when the load is being handled. i

Figure 1 shows the construction of such a winding machine, and Figs. 2 and 3 the general arrangement of the transporting gear.

The endless rope j, and f2 (Figs. 2 and 3) is carried over the pulleys r1, r2, r3 on the two loading stations and over the drums t, and t, of the winding machine. The motor m1 (Fig. l) drives the capstan drum t, by means of a worm and worm wheel s1: The capstan drum t, is mounted loose on the sha'l't a and carries on the inside the gear wheel e, of a di'llerential gear. The other capstan drum t, runs loose on the hollow shaft g which in its turn is free to rotate about the shaft a. The worm wheel 8 which is driven by the motor m2 is :[ixed on this hollow shaft as is also the gear wheel 22. The intermediate bevel gear wheel e', engages with the outside bevel wheels z, and z2, and is mounted on the lever h which lever can rotate about the axle a, these three wheels forming thus a difieren tial gear. This lever carries at its other end the pulley r round which the hauling rope runs.

Assuming now that the distance between the loading stations remains constant, that the motors for driving the winding machine are of the same type and size, and that the hauling rope is not tightened and worked at the same time, then the method of working is as follows z-To tighten the rope between the pulleys r1, i", and r3 the motors are so connected as to rotate in the same direction. The lever 7L with the pulley 1 will then rotate about the shaft a due to both the gear wheels e, and z2 turning in same direction 5 the pulley r and wheel z3 will not rotate relatively to their own axes. The rope f1 and f2 will be wound round the drums t, and t2 by this process.

When it is required to use the rope for hauling then the motors are so connected that they run at equal speeds but in opposite directions. As the gear wheels now rotate in opposite directions the wheel z3 will revolve about its own axis. The rope will be driven by the drum t, and run over the pulleyr which also revolves about its own axis, round the drum t, to the other end of the line and so back again to t1. It the tension in the rope remains normal during haulage, then both the motors run at the same speed as do also the gear wheels e, and z2.- As a consequence the gear wheel e3 only turns about its own axis and the lever arm 7i remains stationary. The motors then serve solely to haul the rope. In order now to obtain automatically an equal tension in the rope with a constantly varying distance between the loading stations and while loads are being handled, the invention allows of the following method :#'The drum t, and gear wheel el are driven by a motor m, whose speed decreases as the load increases and increases as vnot influenced by the load, or increases with increased load.

If electric motors are employed then motor m, can for instance be wound as a series motor and motor as a shunt or compound motor.

If the distance between the loading stations decreases then the rope will become slack and both motors have less load on them. The speed of motor m2 will remain approximately constant or decrease either owing to its regulating device or to its electrical characteristics, whereas that of motor m, will increase due to the reduced load.

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The unequal speeds of the gear Wheels Z1 and z2 will cause the lever 7i to turn about the shaft a b ymeans of the wheel z3, so as to wind the rope round the drums, as already described. The rope will continue to be wound up until the tension in it has reached its normal value, the motors will then run at their normal speed and the lever 7L will remain stationary.

If the distance between the loading stations increases then the series of operations described above will be reversed.

The result of the increased tension in the rope will be that motor m1 runs slower than motor m2 so that the lever h revolves in a direction opposite to that in which it turns when tightening the rope. This operation continues until the normal state of affairs is again reached.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of a plurality of drums independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, means for operating one of said drums controlled by the tension of said rope to keep same under a predetermined tension.

2. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums suitably independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a motor operating one of said drums, a motor adapted to cooperate with said drum operating motor when the rope has its normal tension, and means between said motors and actuated by said motors under an abnormal rope tension adapted to restore the normal tension of said rope.

3. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance7 the combination of two drums suitably independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a motor operating one of said drums having its revolution number varying inversely with the load, a motor adapted to cooperate with the drum operating motor when the rope has its normal tension keeping its revolution number practically constant under all loads, and means between said motors and actuated by said motors under an abnormal rope tension adapted to restore the normal tension of said rope.

4. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums suitably independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, an electro-motor operating one of said drums having its revolution number varying inversely with the load, an electro-motor adapted to coperate with said drum operating motor when the rope has its normal tension keeping its revolution number practically constant under all loads, and means between said electro-motors and actuated by said motors under an abnormal rope tension adapted to restore the normal tension of said IO e.

I5. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums, suitably independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a differential gear having one of its outside members connected to one of said drums operating the rope, a motor operating said drum and having its revolution number varying inverselywith the load, a motor connected to the other outside member of said differential gear and keeping its revolution number practically constant under all loads, a lever arm suitably pivoted between said drums operatively connected to the intermediate member of said differential gear and having on its free end a pulley adapted Ato guide said rope between said drums, said lever being inoperative under normal tension of the rope and ceiling and uncoiling said rope on the drums respectively under abnormal tension until normal tension is restored.

6. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums suitably independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a differential gear having one of its outside members connected to one of said drums operating the rope, an electro-motor operating said drum and having its revolution number varying inversely with the load, an electro-motor connected to the other out side member of said differential gear and keeping its revolution number practically constant under ail loads, a lever arm suitably pivoted between said drums operatively connected to the intermediate member of said differential gear and having at its free end a pulley adapted to guide said rope between said drums, said lever being inoperative under normal tension of the rope and coiling and uncoiling said rope on the drums respectively under abnormal tension until normal tension is restored.

7. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums coaXially independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a differential gear having one of its outside members coaxially connected to one of said drums operating the rope, a motor operating said drum and having its revolution number varying inversely with theload, a motor connected to the other outside member of said differential gear and keeping its revolution number practically constant under all loads, a lever arm coaxially independently pivoted between said drums operatively connected at one end to the intermediate member of said differential gear and having at its other end a pulley adapted to guide said rope between said drums, said lever be- IOO LIO

ing inoperative under normal tension of the rope and ceiling and uncoilingsaid rope on said' drums respectively under abnormal tension until normal tension is restored.

8. ln an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of two drums coaxially independently journaled, an endless rope wound on said drums, a differential gear having one of its outside members coaXially connected to one of the drums operating the rope, an electromotor operating said drum and having its revolution number varying inversely with the load, an electro-motor connected to the other outside member of said differential gear keeping its revolution number practically constant under all loads, a lever arm coaxially independentiy pivoted between said drums, operatively connected at one end to the intermediate member of said differential gear and having at 4its other end a pulley adapted to guide said rope between said drums, said lever being inoperative under normal tension of the rope and coiling and uncoiling said rope on said drums respectively under abnormal tension until normal tension is restored. I

9, In an apparatus for Iconveying loads between points of varying distance, the combi# nation of a shaft suitably journaled, a drum mounted on said shaft, a sleeve on said shaft, a drum mounted on said sleeve, meansfor rotating said drum, a lever mounted on said shaft and a pulley mounted on said lever.

l0. In an apparatus for conveying loads between points of varying distance, the combination of a shaft suitably journaled, a drum mounted on said shaft, a sleeve on said shaft, a drum mounted on said sleeve, means for rotating said drum, a lever -mounted on said shaft and provided with a pulley, and means for revolving said lever around said shaft.

t WALTHER MOLLIER.

l/Vitnesses:

ERNEST H. L. MUMMENLIOFF, IDA CHRIST. HAFERMANN. 

